468 THE PHYSICAL GEOGllAFHY OF THE yEA. 



planet.* Most of this immense area is as unknown to tlie inhabit- 

 ants of the earth as is the interior of one of Jupiter's satellites. 

 With the appliances of steam to aid us, with the lights of science 

 to guide lis, it w^ould be a reproach to the world to permit such 

 a large portion of its surface any longer to remain unexplored. 

 For the last 200 years the Arctic Ocean has been a theatre for 

 exploration ; but as for the antarctic, no expedition has attempt- 

 ed to make 2iXij persistent exploration, or even to winter there. 



877. England through Cook and Ross; Russia through Bil- 

 Fonner expeditions, lingshauseu ; Fraucc through D'Urville ; and the 



United States through Wilkes, have sent expeditions to the South 

 Sea. They sighted and sailed along the icy barrier, but none of 

 them spent the winter or essayed to travel across and look be- 

 yond the first impediment. The expeditions W'hich have been 

 sent to explore unknown seas have contributed largely to the 

 stock of human knowledge, and they have added renown to na- 

 tions, lustre to diadems. Navies are not all for war. Peace has 

 its conquests, science its glories; and no navy can boast of bright- 

 er chaplets than those which have been gathered in the fields of 

 geographical exploration and physical research. 



878. The great nations of the earth have all, with more or less 

 An appeal for othei-s. Spirit, Undertaken to investigate certain phenomena 

 touching the sea, and, to make the plans more effectual, they have 

 agreed to observe according to a prescribed formula. The ob- 

 servations thus made have brought to light most of the facts 

 and circumstances which indicate the existence within the antarc- 

 tic circle of a mild climate— mild by comparison. The observa- 

 tions which have led to this conclusion w^ere made by fellow-la- 

 borers under all flags. It is hoped that this circumstance may 

 vindicate, in the eyes of all, the propriety of an appeal in this 

 l)laee for antarctic exploration, and plead for it favorable consid° 

 eration among all nations. 



* The area of the antarctic ch'cle is 8,155,600 square miles. 



